Toronto 
Winter Stations Presents Loop
Here is the “to do” list of activities in Toronto and GTA this winter including winter activities, festivals, exhibitions, sports and related activities, concerts and live theatre.
I. Outdoor Winter Activities
- Lace up and hit an outdoor ice rink: Toronto and GTA has some great skating trails. Can you brave the polar bear skate at the Bentway?
You may like:
- Experience Terra Lumina – An Enchanted Night Walk at Toronto Zoo. Enjoy an immersive experience along a 1.5 km walking path that travels into the future and back. Terra Lumina is the eleventh unique experience created in Moment Factory’s Lumina night walk series.
- Discover Toronto’s National Park this winter. Join in on a guided walk to discover nature and winter wildlife with Parks Canada.
- Visit Tommy Thompson Park to learn about what Toronto’s urban wildlife is up to this time of year during Family Nature Walk. Visit your nearest conservation area for a walk in the woods or to spot winter wildlife.
- When there is snow on the ground, dig out your magic carpet, flying saucer or the old-school wooden toboggan and hit the tobogganing hill near by and enjoy a ride down.
- Want a bit more excitement? Go snow tubing!
- If skiing and snowboarding is your thing, there are eleven ski areas in GTA and two within Toronto city limits.
- Explore the winter landscape of neighbouring Parks and Conservation Areas through snow shoeing. Halton Hills Conservation has guided snowshoe hikes for family and moonlight snowshoe events.
- Hit the trails for cross-country skiing — a great way to stay active this winter while enjoying the outdoors. Albion Hills Conservation Area of Caledon provides 26 kilometres of groomed and track-set trails suited to beginner, intermediate and expert level skiers. Halton Conservation areas of Crawford Lake (Milton), Hilton Falls, Mountsberg offers cross-country ski trails through woods and fields.
- If you want to burn all that fat accumulated during the holidays, try Fat biking! Get out for a guided ride every Sunday with the experts at Evergreen Brick Works and explore Don Valley trails. Fat Biking is also allowed at Black Trail at Albion Hills Conservation Area. Rentals are available at both places.
- Go on a day trip to see frozen waterfalls near Toronto.
II. Festivals During Winter 2019-20
There’s so much going on in Toronto every weekend and winter season is no exception!
Just in time for the festive season, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is transforming the Ontario Place West Island into a spectacular celebration of light and adventure as the 2019 ... Read More
During WinterFest, the park will be transformed into an enchanted winter wonderland complete with uniquely themed areas, dozens of Christmas trees, millions of spectacular lights, ice-skating, live entertainment, savoury treats, ... Read More
Come celebrate the return to warmth and light in the heart of Kensington Market over the Winter Solstice. Support our local merchants and unique culture of Toronto's beloved neighbourhood over ... Read More
INK Events & Live Nation Ontario present: Solaris Festival 2019 Toronto’s largest winter music festival takes place on December 26 & 27, 2019 inside REBEL. The fifth annual Solaris Music ... Read More
After a completely sold out inaugural festival, DisasterFEST is back! Audiences are subjected to a 6 hour marathon of Toronto’s alternative comedy, taking place at Bad Dog Theatre on December ... Read More
This festival features 21 unique concerts spanning multiple genres and forms - the common thread will be the grand piano that has been provided by Yamaha Canada Music LTD. Line-up: ... Read More
Join us for the Annual TORONTO TANGO MARATHON on the second weekend in January for an amazing weekend of Argentine Tango in Toronto, with beautiful music, great venue, lots of ... Read More
The seventh edition of the 21C Music Festival will include eight concerts over three weekends, from Saturday, January 11 to Saturday, January 25, 2020. Two additional events celebrate Grammy Award-winning ... Read More
The 2020 New Music Festival features Brazilian pianist, composer and arranger André Mehmari. A stellar list of guest artists includes Emmanuele Baldini, Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa and the Penderecki String Quartet ... Read More
DesignTO, formerly the Toronto Design Offsite Festival, brings you 10 days filled with immersive installations, fantastic exhibitions, engaging talks, and more design and art than ever before. With this much ... Read More
The Toronto Light Festival, the City’s first-ever light art festival, is returning for the another year to the Distillery Historic District! Visitors will be taken on a new visual journey ... Read More
This year's Winter Fest will feature even more excitement for fans of all ages, with select player, prospect, and alumni appearances, Sportsnet personalities, Jr. Jays activations, live entertainment, historic memorabilia, ... Read More
Rediscover the joys of the winter season and great Canadian outdoors with friends and family at the historic Alton Mill Arts Centre in rural Caledon. Pond hockey, food & drink, ... Read More
Celebrate the architects, artists and designers who have shaped our world at Toronto’s newest film festival. Beyond our curated films, hear distinguished experts, filmmakers and panel discussions. Enjoy Q&A sessions ... Read More
Come join us at our 1st CHINESE New Year Marketplace, we will showcase traditional merchandise for preparing Lunar New Year Celebrations, we will have wishing free for making well-wishes for ... Read More
The Annual Burlington Winter Beer Festival is the culmination of the Festival of Beer, an exciting celebration of beer and beer food pairing in partnership with local restaurants and progressive ... Read More
Totally unique and completely captivating, DanceWeekend is a veritable feast of globally inspired dance from 25 professional companies presenting in Toronto throughout the year. A platform for over 350 dancers and ... Read More
Progress is an international festival of performance and ideas presented in partnership by SummerWorks Performance Festival and The Theatre Centre. The Festival is collectively curated and produced by a series ... Read More
Starting this January, Toronto's winter experience takes centre stage with the introduction of Toronto Spotlight, highlighting the city's celebrated and vibrant arts and culture scene, vast selection of culinary experiences, ... Read More
The Toronto Tea Festival has gathered world-renowned tea sommeliers, published authors, historical fashion experts, musicians and vendors who are keen to steep the enquiring, novice and aficionado in tea lore ... Read More
Toronto's winter culinary celebration offers the perfect opportunity to discover delicious cuisine at more than 220 restaurants and experience unique culinary events. Produced by the City of Toronto. The Licious ... Read More
Craft Beer, Food Trucks and Campfires. Don your stompin' boots, pull on a toque and wear your puffiest parka because it's time to hoist a pint or two with the ... Read More
52nd Richmond Hill Winter Carnival - The Richmond Hill Winter Carnival is a weekend of affordable fun and entertainment organized by volunteers to celebrate the community of Richmond Hill in ... Read More
Join us in February as we host Toronto's longest-running Black History Month celebration. From exhibitions, films, comedy, and panel discussions we cover a plethora of events spanning the whole month ... Read More
LunarFest invites Markham’s diverse community to celebrate the Lunar New Year like no other! What fortunes await you in the Year of the Rat? With fun games, activities, and crafts, ... Read More
Celebrate winter with the Annual Bloor-Yorkville Icefest, a free public event taking place throughout the Village of Yorkville Park and surrounding area. The Village of Yorkville Park and Cumberland Street ... Read More
This free, fun-filled, winter carnival offers first-class entertainment, indoor & outdoor activities, meet & greets, a free pancake breakfast, outdoor firepits, arts & crafts, a photo booth, face painting, horse-drawn ... Read More
Canada’s longest-running new works festival transforms Buddies into a hotbed of experimentation, with artists exploring new possibilities in theatre, dance, music, and performance art. Rhubarb is the place to see ... Read More
Founded by the Fabienne Colas Foundation, Toronto Black Film Festival is dedicated to celebrating the very best in cinematic work dealing with the varied experiences of black people from diverse ... Read More
In celebration of their 20th Anniversary in 2020, Wavelength Music presents 20 bands over the course of the four days at Sneaky Dees, Longboat Hall and The Garrison ... Read More
Get in from the cold and toast your body and mind to the warm glow of animated stories. Everything is possible with animation! Toronto Animation Arts Festival International, or TAAFI, ... Read More
Join us for the 5th Annual GeekFest Toronto - A 1-day Marathon of Films, Docs and Talks on things Geeks Love. And, maybe, just maybe, a chance to meet (and ... Read More
Revel in the complexity of youth on screen and banish the old world of cookie-cutter portrayals to cinema’s past, as TIFF helps herald in a new era of storytelling for ... Read More
The 5th annual Kidapalooza Family Festival takes place Family Day Long Weekend FEBRUARY 15-17, 2020 at the Markham Fairgrounds in over 50,000 sq ft of INDOOR space with some outdoor ... Read More
KidsfestTO is in its 11th year and we are proud to be the largest providers of inflatables, rides and bouncers. This indoor event caters to children 12 and under and ... Read More
Pendance is an independent film festival supported by a bevy of great sponsors and key artists in the Canadian film community. The third edition of Pendance will consist of feature ... Read More
Winterfolk is an all-ages, mid-winter, weatherproof event, where you’ll find the best of urban, blues, rock, jazz, country, folk and roots music, emulating a multi-stage rural summer festival. More than ... Read More
Now in it’s 10th year, the Toronto Irish Film Festival celebrates the very best of Irish cinema and promotes the work of Irish filmmakers to the Greater Toronto Irish community ... Read More
Attention all Witches and Wizards, You are formally invited to the most magical beer festival of the year! Sunday, March 1st, 2020, let us transport you into a mysterious and ... Read More
TOsketchfest will welcome over 80 sketch comedy acts from cities across North America and beyond March 4-15, 2020. The Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival is Canada's premier festival celebrating scripted, ensemble ... Read More
Celebrate Toronto, the 2-day festival honouring Toronto's 186th Anniversary, will be held at Nathan Phillips Square. [The Festival] Come by our market, shop from local vendors, feast upon the diverse ... Read More
Storytelling Toronto presents the 42nd annual Toronto Storytelling Festival! This is one of the world’s largest and oldest urban storytelling celebrations, and has been a major force in the international ... Read More
Toronto’s very own cabane à sucre is returning to downtown Toronto Waterfront with one epic weekend fuelled by maple syrup! Warm up with a glass of hot mulled cider, enjoy ... Read More
Join us for for the biggest St Patricks day parade to hit the streets of Toronto. A community event in its 33rd consecutive year celebrating Irish culture history and heritage ... Read More
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour brings Banff to audiences around the globe. Immediately after the Festival ends in November, a selection of the best films go on ... Read More
III. Indoor Activities
Are you the one that countdowns to summer every time the first sign of winter hits Toronto? Then, here is a list of indoor attractions and indoor amusement parks in Toronto to keep those winter blues away till the barbecue season is back!
IV. Art/Science Exhibitions & Expos
Credit: Winter Stations
- Winter Stations:Enjoy temporary public art installations to The Beaches, exhibited to celebrate Toronto’s winter waterfront landscape.
- Enjoy LOOP, an art installation than an interactive retro-futureistic machine powered by you. Visitors can hop on two at a time into one of the six illuminated cylinders and pump a lever to activate the lights and glowing images.
- Abracadabra! Illusions: The Art of Magic opens at the AGO on Feb. 22, 2020, showcasing rare posters and artifacts from the Golden Age of Magic of over 100 years ago. Illusions: The Art of Magic transports you back in time to the Golden Age of Magic when death-defying tricks, daring escapes and colourful personas turned performers like The Incomparable Albini and Harry Houdini into world-famous celebrities.
- Join at the Steam Whistle Brewery for Dispatches. Consisting of media from the collection of the Toronto Railway Museum, Dispatches shares messages from the rails. Transmitted through a variety of media such as vintage signage, posters, photos, and more, many of the pieces are from the museum’s archive and have never been publicly displayed.
- Explore, amd discover 4-day site-specific, immersive installations at the historic 130-year-old Gladstone Hotel. ‘Come Up To My Room’ invites artists and designers to create a 4-day site-specific, immersive installations that stimulate the imagination and encourage discussion and dialogue between contributors and visitors alike.
- Experience the timeless and universal appeal of one of the most adored fictional characters of all time – Winnie-the-Pooh –– in this immersive and playful exhibition at Royal Ontario Museum.
- Dream Machines: The Magical Machines of Rowland Emett: Enter a world of engineered fantasies from the mind of a cartoonist who decided to bring his imagined world to life. Marvel at the spinning, blinking and tinkling unlikely creations like the hot-air rocking chair, lullaby machine, and humbug major sweet machine (made famous in the classic movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
- Step into MindWorks, a new exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre, and experience the inner workings of your mind. Rooted in psychology, MindWorks brings mental processes like decision-making, memory and emotions to life through colourful, playful and fun hands-on exhibits.
- Explore the compelling concepts, innovative products, upcoming talent and key experts at the Interior Design Show Toronto.
- Explore, CodeX: playable & disruptive futurist eArt, an exhibition of leading-edge digital art, or eArt, investigates the future of human society through technology, innovation and design.
- Explore all things automotive boasting more than 1,000 cars, trucks, SUVs, concept cars, exotics, classics, muscle cars, fully electric and autonomous vehicles at the Canadian International AutoShow from February 14 to 23 at the MTCC.
- See the original works from over 250 carefully juried, independent contemporary artists at The Artist Project at Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto from from February 20 to 23, 2020.
- Meet your favourite superhero at Toronto ComicCon from March 20 to 22, 2020 at Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
IV. Live Concerts During Winter
See Singin’ in the Rain coming to life with live orchestral accompaniment of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Post Malone’s Runaway Tour, for KING & COUNTRY and more this winter.
10 Upcoming Concerts
Upcoming concert Tours in Toronto
DJ Skate Nights
Sharpen your skates and skills as Toronto's number one outdoor winter party returns with another stellar lineup of DJs that ... Read More
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre Free Concert Series
The Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre takes place in one of Toronto's most breathtaking and intimate spaces ... Read More
The Strumbellas
The Strumbellas, coming off of a banner few years, show no sign of their stride shortening. The group released Hope ... Read More
Louis Lortie
The highly-esteemed French-Canadian pianist Louis Lortie possesses a unique interpretative voice spanning a broad range of repertoire, with the “combination ... Read More
Poor Angus
Don't miss a chance to party with Poor Angus on the Robbie Burns weekend at Dora Keogh Irish pub in ... Read More
IL VOLO: The Best of 10 Years
Piero Barone, Gianluca Ginoble and Ignazio Boschetto started their careers at a very young age, in 2009, and their constant ... Read More
Pride & Prejudice & Song
“Without music,” Jane Austen wrote in her novel Emma, “life would be a blank to me.” Jane Austen was a ... Read More
Rex Orange County – The Pony Tour
Rex Orange County, born Alexander O’Connor, is a 21 year old English recording artist and songwriter. To date, he has ... Read More
V. Performing Arts & Theatre During Winter
Credit: Hamilton
See the stunning adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by National Ballet, multi-award winning playwright, Marjorie Chan’s Lady Sunrise at Factory Theatre, Canadian Opera Company’s Hansel & Gretel, and Canadian Premiere of Hamilton at Ed Mirvish Theatre and more this winter.
10 Upcoming Live Theatre Shows
Performing Arts in Toronto & GTA
Mysteriously Yours Presents Foul Play!
The intrigue begins when you meet some colourful characters around dessert time., as you finish your fabulous meal. The plot ... Read More
Come From Away
After a sold-out, standing-room only Toronto engagement before heading to Broadway, Come From Away returns due to overwhelming demand! It’s ... Read More
SEXUAL CONDUCT OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES
“Do you know you’re coming on to me?” An author and star professor, wracked with self-loathing after a third divorce, ... Read More
Sketch To The Death!
In 2020 the competition will be bigger than ever, with 48 acts competing over 5 weeks at the Social Capital ... Read More
Julius Caesar
In the most powerful state on earth, a coalition of educated elites, alarmed at their leader’s populist, authoritarian reforms, conspire ... Read More
The Phantom Of The Opera
Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera will make a triumphant return to Toronto ... Read More
Stag and Doe
Bonnie and Brad are having a party to raise money for their upcoming wedding—the cost of which has secretly gotten ... Read More
Casimir & Caroline
Tonight’s the office party. There’s a one drink-ticket limit, and we are way passed that now. Casimir just got fired, ... Read More
MOTHER’S DAUGHTER
Keep your enemies close, and your family closer. The Tudor throne is empty, and three would-be Queens contend for the ... Read More
VI. Spectator Sports
Cheer Toronto’s sports teams.
Ice Hockey: Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies, Mississauga Steelheads
Lacrosse: Toronto Rock
Runs & Walks
- Resolution Run® and Walk: Start the New Year off on the right foot by establishing or maintaining an active lifestyle: December 30 to January 1, 2020 @ Various locations
- New Balance Chilly Half Marathon, CIBC Private Wealth Management Frosty 5K, and Frigid 10K: Sunday, March 1, 2020 | 10:05 AM @ Burlington
10 Upcoming Games
Toronto Raptors vs. Atlanta Hawks
Tuesday, January 28, 2020 @ 07:30 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$28 - $2608
Toronto Marlies vs. Charlotte Checkers
Friday, January 31, 2020 @ 07:00 PM
Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto
$11 - $55
Toronto Rock vs. Halifax Thunderbirds
Friday, January 31, 2020 @ 07:30 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$22 - $67
Toronto Marlies vs. Charlotte Checkers
Saturday, February 1, 2020 @ 04:00 PM
Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto
$13 - $62
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
Saturday, February 1, 2020 @ 07:00 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$102 - $748
Toronto Raptors vs. Chicago Bulls
Sunday, February 2, 2020 @ 03:00 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$27 - $3117
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers
Monday, February 3, 2020 @ 07:00 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$75 - $597
Toronto Marlies vs. Belleville Senators
Tuesday, February 4, 2020 @ 07:00 PM
Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto
$11 - $55
Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 @ 07:30 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$20 - $3117
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Anaheim Ducks
Friday, February 7, 2020 @ 07:00 PM
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
$80 - $752
For your first 2 links under ‘Outdoor Winter Activities’ – these do not currently work. Thanks!
Thank you! Corrected!